Spring-balance computing-scale.



No. 702,927. Patenied June 24, I902.

, J. W. CULMER.

SPRING BALANCE COMPUTING SCALE.

(Application filed June 26, 1900.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

7(4292 eo'd'g y Iv venfon 5? flfizekw/k 2% w. Q %9. M 1 gm M PatentedJune 24,1902.

J. W. CULMER.

SPRING BALANCE COMPUTING SCALE.

(Application filed June 26, 1900.)

4 Sheets$heet 24 (No Model.)

Inventory fim/ o @6010;

PETERS c3 PHoYo-Lm No. 702,927. Patented June 24, I902.

' J. W. CULMER.

SPRING BALANCE COMPUTING SC ALE.

(Application filed June 26, 1900,)

4 SheetsSheet 3.

(No Model.)

cfiflvew W o. M

ms warns PETERS c ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo c No. 702,927. PatentedJune 24, I902.

J. W. CULMER.

SPRlNG BALANCE COMPUTING SCALE.

(Application filed June 26, 1900.)

(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheat 4.

Lina/enter:

m2 NORRG PETERS co. PHDTO-LITHQ, WASHNCITON. a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. CULMER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL COMPUTINGSCALE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORA TION OF OHIO.

SPRING-BALANCE COMPUTING-SCALE- SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 702,927, dated June 24:, 1902.

Application filed .Tune 26, 1900. Serial No. 21,590. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN W. CULMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spring-BalanceComputing-Scales, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention is an improvement in springbalance computing-scalesthat isto say, in spring-balance scales which are designed for the primarypurpose of indicating the money values at various rates per unit ofweight of articles loaded onto them.

The invention consists in the combination of computing mechanismconsisting ofa valuechart bearing horizontal rows of value-indicatingfigures calculated at difierent rates and a frame carryingrate-indicating figures arranged in proper relation to the said rows ofvalue-indicating figures, one of said parts being rotatable relative tothe other on a vertical axis, combined with a vertically-movablespring-suspended runner and mechanism for translating the verticalmovements of the runner into rotary movements of the movable member ofthe computing mechanism.

It also consists in the more specific combinations of parts hereinafterdescribed, as pointed out definitely in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is aplan view with the top plate removed. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of amodified form of the invention. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section ofthe same. Fig. 6 is a top plan View with a portion of the top platebroken away. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on line 7 7 of Fig. 5. Fig.Sis a horizontal sectional view on line 8 8 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents the frame of the scalewhich is to be supported and is preferably suspended by a ring a whichpasses through a loop a. This secured to said drum. vVithin this frame Aare two spring-hangers G G, having at their upper ends thelaterally-extended arms g g, which hangers are rigid with the bottomplate (F. In this bottom plate are openings a through which the arms clof the runner D move freely. This runner is suspended from the lowerends of the two weighingsprings C 0, whose upper ends are attached tothe lateral arms 9 g of the spring-hangers G. Within this frame A is avalue-chart E, preferably in the form of a light sheet-metal drum. Inthe upper end of this drum a spider e is secured, and to this spider anaxial arbor c is fastened. This arbor, and consequently the chart-drumE, is mounted so as to be capable of rotation about their vertical axisbetween the conical points a a which are screwed through the top andbottom plates at a and enter the cupped ends of said arbor.

In the drum a is either one sight-opening a, through which a portion ofthe surface of the chart-drum'E may be seen, as shown in Fig. 1, or aplurality of sight-openings a which are associated one with each row ofvalue-figures on the drum, as shown in Fig. 4. Along the verticalreading edge of this sight-opening or these sight-openings, as the casemay be, are placed rate-figures, which indicate the rate at which thevalues indicated bythe figures on the associated rows on the chart arecalculated. On the chart-drum are a plurality of graduated horizontalrows. In the upper row may be placed figures indicating weight, whichfigures are so arranged around the drum that when the drum is turned bya load hung from the runner the graduation in this row nearest thereading edge of the sight-opening in drum a. will indicate the weight ofsaid load. In the other rows are figures indicating the money'valuesofthe corresponding weight at the rate per unit which is found on thedrum (0 adjacent to said row. \Vhen, therefore, the drum is turned, thevalue-indicating figures in any row adjacent to the reading edge of itssightopening will indicate the value at the associated rate of anycommodity whose weight is at the same time indicated by theweightindicating figures in the top row.

One familiar with this art will understand that when a load is hung fromthe runner said runner will move downward a distance proportionate tosuch load. The means preferably employed for translating the verticalmovement of the runner into a rotary movement of the chart-drum consistsof a spool c of proper size secured to the arbor e. A cord N, which issecured to and wound upon said spool, has its ends attached to oppositearms (I d of the runner and two sheaves g g se cured to thespring-hangers G G, over which sheaves said cord runs. The ends of thiscord maybe connected with the runner-arms through the spring 0, whichwill take up the stretch of the cord and will keep it taut.

Any suitable translating mechanism may be employed, although that shownin Fig. 1 and hereinbefore described is preferred. In Figs. 4 to 8,inclusive, one alternative construction is shown. The chart-drum E has aspider c secured in its upper end, which is cupped axially on both itstop and bottom sides. It rests upon the conical upper end of a verticalpost M, which is secured to the bottom plate a of the frame A. Aconicalpointed screw ad, which passes through the top plate ct of saidframe, engages with the cup in the top surface of said spider. The lowerend of this chart-drum contains a spider 6 which is mounted byball-bearings J on the bottom plate of the frame. The weighingsprings OO in this case are supported directly from the top plate a of the frameA and the runner D is suspended from their lower ends. Theweighing-springs and the vertical arms 61 d of the runner are located inlateral enlargements a of the frame A. A tuhe K is secured to the runnerand is passed through an axial hole in the bottom plate and it embracesthe post M. This post is fastened to the bottom plate by means of a pinm, which pin also passes through vertical slots in the tube K, andthereby prevents the rotation of said tube relative to the frame A. Theupper part of this tube has external spiral grooves 7t, and into thesegrooves project the inner ends of arms 6", which are secured to thechart-drum E. l/Vhen a load is sus pended from the runner, it is drawndownward proportionately and it draws the tube K downward. This tubecannot rotate, but can only 'move vertically, and therefore thechart-drum is compelled to revolve because of the engagement of the armssecured toit with the spiral grooves in the tubular member.

In the constructions shown and described the so-called frame A may beproperly called a case, since it entirely incloses all of the scalemechanism excepting so much of the runner as is below it, and thereforeall of the said mechanism is protected from injury and from dust anddirt. This specific construction is not necessary to the broadinvention, nor is it necessary that the chart shall be a complete drumcapable of complete rotations Having described my invention, I claim- 1.I11 a spring-balance, the combination of an external case capable ofbeing supported and having in its bottom guides for the runner,weighing-springs suspended by their upper ends within the case and fromrigid parts thereof, a vertically-movable runner secured on the lowerends of said springs, and movable in the guides in the lower part of thecase, with a chart-drum rotatably mounted on a vertical axis within saidcase and having external horizontal rows of value-indicating figurescalculated at different rates, said external case being aperturedwhereby portions of said value-indicating rows may be seen, andcorresponding weight-indicating figures adjacent to said aperturing andin the same plane with the corresponding value-indicating rows offigures, and mechanism for translating the vertical movements of therunner into rotary movements of the chartdrum, substantially asspecified.

2. In a spring-balance, the combination of: a case consisting of a drumand top and bottom end plates, means attached to the top plate forsuspending said case, spring-supports within the case rigid with thebottom plate thereof, a runner movable vertically through said bottomplate, and weighingsprings which are connected at their upper ends withsaid spring-supports and at their lower ends with the runner, with achart-drum which lies between said spring-supports and the verticalwalls of the case which drum is mounted upon its vertical axis in saidcase, said chart-drum having its external surface divided intohorizontalrows which are graduated and marked with computed values, said case-drumbeing apertured whereby said horizontal rows of graduations may be seen,rateindicating figures adjacent to the value-indicating rows of thechart-drum., and mechanism for translating the vertical movements of herunner into rotary movements of the chart-drum, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a spring-balance, the combination of a case, consisting of a drumand top and bottom end plates, spring-supports within the case rigidwith the bottom plate thereof, a runner movable vertically through saidbottom plate, and weighing-springs which are connected attheirupperendswith said springsupports and at their lower ends with therunner, with a chart-drum which lies between said spring-supports andthe vertical walls of the case, an axial vertical arbor rigidly fastenedto said chart-drum, which arbor is rotatably mounted in the case, aspool attached to the said arbor, a cord attached to and wound aboutsaid spool, and having its ends connected respectively with arms of therunner, and sheaves mounted on said spring-supports over which said cordruns, substantially as described.

4. In a spring-balance, the combination of a case, consisting of a drumand top and bot tom end plates, spring-supports within the ends with therunner, and sheaves mounted on said spring-supports over Which said cordruns, and a spring through which one end of 15 said cord is connectedwith the runner, sub- I stantially as described.

1 In testiinonywhereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

JOHN V. CULMER.

l Witnesses:

E. B. GILOHRIST, E. L. THURSTON.

